The average price of a 7-day trip to Carlsbad is $2,221 for a solo traveler, $3,989 for a couple, and $7,478 for a family of 4. Carlsbad hotels range from $77 to $297 per night with an average of $123, while most vacation rentals will cost $260 to $1000 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to San Diego International Airport (SAN) are between $681 and $1,080 per person for economy flights and $2,137 to $3,389 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $70 to $125 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit Carlsbad, CA, US
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to SAN and stay in a Carlsbad hotel:
- January 15th to March 4th
- April 16th to May 6th
- August 6th to November 18th
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Carlsbad is usually mid to late September.
Average Carlsbad Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Carlsbad for a week is $1,381-$3,432($197-$490 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $70 to $125 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $405 to $961 for economy
Lodging: $81 to $131 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $218 to $266 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Carlsbad for a week is $2,828-$5,506($404-$787 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $140 to $250 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $810 to $1,922 for economy
Lodging: $81 to $131 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $218 to $266 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Carlsbad for a week is $4,552-$9,576($650-$1,368 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $280 to $500 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,620 to $3,844 for economy
Lodging: $162 to $262 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $305 to $372 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Carlsbad
How cheap can you make a vacation to Carlsbad? The cheapest trip to Carlsbad is about $144 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 0% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $160 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $67.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit Carlsbad for a week is $1,010-$2,574($144-$368 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $29 to $59 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $405 to $961 for economy
Lodging: $67 to $77 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $160 to $200 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Carlsbad for a week is $1,618-$3,948($231-$564 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $58 to $118 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $810 to $1,922 for economy
Lodging: $67 to $77 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $160 to $200 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Carlsbad for a week is $3,236-$7,176($462-$1,025 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $116 to $236 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,620 to $3,844 for economy
Lodging: $134 to $154 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $224 to $280 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very difficult to travel to Carlsbad cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Carlsbad Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Carlsbad.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Carlsbad for a week is $2,888-$16,719($413-$2,388 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $126 to $263 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $944 to $2,278 for first class
Lodging: $177 to $297 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $1,000 to $2,100 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Carlsbad for a week is $4,714-$20,838($673-$2,977 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $252 to $526 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,888 to $4,556 for first class
Lodging: $177 to $297 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $1,000 to $2,100 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Carlsbad for a week is $9,428-$34,116($1,347-$4,874 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $504 to $1,052 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $3,776 to $9,112 for first class
Lodging: $354 to $594 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $1,400 to $2,940 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Carlsbad Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Carlsbad is much higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Carlsbad due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
Carlsbad Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Prices are based on Carlsbad hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Carlsbad.
Flight Costs to Carlsbad
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $1,080 average in late July to a low of $681 in mid to late September. Median flight price is $695. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Carlsbad our data includes 886 originating airports, and 145 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Carlsbad from an airport like U-Tapao Pattaya International (UTP) in Utapao (Thailand) for an average $7,081 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International (SJC) in San Jose, CA (the United States) at an average of just $128.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Tuesday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Carlsbad, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $399, so you can easily save about 59% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Carlsbad can easily cost $440 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $29 per person. Private tours can cost $879 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.